Have the strength to love yourself enough to follow your path and defend it from those who don’t understand.
Ned Lips – Author
A shock of fear from the horse shot through her like a knife. Tony and his two henchmen were approaching the horse. Tony was wielding a crude, untipped spear. The taller man had one of the rougher knives, and the short stocky man had a stick he’d sharpened. The other seven members of Tony’s gang followed several paces behind them. Sarah sprinted through the compound, dashing past astounded Family members, leaped into the air, past the three attackers, slid, spun and stood her ground between them and the horse.
Reset pages 68-69
. . .
“Look, I realize that horsemeat would be an appealing meal, but this is not an ordinary horse. You don’t understand this right now, but this horse and I are connected. He’s a part of me, of my soul, and I’m a part of him and his. Killing him would be killing a part of me, and I will not allow it.”
We will find these aspects of ourselves, of our spirit, that we don’t understand at first, that make us different and feel alive. We must explore them and allow them to blossom. This is what Sarah does as she grows to understand the superpowers she’d received from her guru, from the spirits of the universe. They will not be understood by those who’ve known you, those you meet and those you come to know, fur they are a part of you alone.

As you gain control of your superpowers, those who don’t understand will try to tear them down. They don’t fit their opinions of who you are and have been to them, or, as often, who they need you to be in order to make them feel whole or worthy. You must protect your superpowers, learn about them, explore them, grow with them and become one with them. They are vital to your future health and joy. Protect yourself from those who want to tear you down.
But, as she had for so long, Sarah endured against the burden, took a deep, cleansing breath, raised her head, cleared her eyes and stood erect, staring into the darkness above the light.
From First Steps page 1
“I’ve spent too much of my life hiding in the darkness, hiding outside the light. Today is the day that changes forever.”
Have you lived beneath a burden? It is often one of your own making. The expectations of others, your parents, society, authority figures. Decide it is time to find your own passions, superpowers and explore them. It will take time to free yourself, but as you understand that you have the superpowers to throw off the burdens you’ve put on your life, joy will come.
My Life
My best friend’s path has found him in the same line of work, with essentially the same firm, for well over 30 years. It has always been right for him, and he knows it. It is great when this happens.
Some people find their joy early on. They are strong enough to follow the path they love. Most of us are not, and it takes years for us to gain the strength to actually decide we are worth it. It is at that point we say, “I realize this path is not what anyone has contemplated for me, but none of that has worked for me. I am tired and depressed, and I need to step up and finally follow my own, unique path.”
Over ten years ago, a good friend of mine, who had founded and grew a very successful tech company, came to me and said, “Ned, I’m proud of what I’ve built, but I’m simply not happy.”
I asked him, “What do you want to do? What is your passion?”
“I love fishing,” he answered.
“Do you just love to fish, like as a hobby, or is it more?”
“No, Ned, I think about, read about, travel and fish any time I have a few minutes. Most evenings I head down to the pond. I teach fishing on weekends. I can’t stop thinking about it.”
I looked at his lovely wife and she just nodded. So, a few months later, I helped him sell the tech company and purchase a bait and tackle shop on Kentucky Lake. He still runs it today.
It was his passion. It was where he found his true superpowers. He took a huge risk but since the moment he decided it was right in his soul, he hasn’t worked a day in his life.
Find YOUR Joy!